Joanne O’Brien Singing “Amazing”

Singer|Songwriter, Joanne O’Brien performs her song “Amazing” that was co-wriiten with Mary Ekler.

Who or what inspires you?

Well, I am a Gemini so it depends on the hour as I get inspired by so much! I love when my friends all of a sudden have a book or a one person show they are promoting and I think DAMN! You’ve been busy …I am inspired! I had no clue what you were up too and wham! You’ve got a complete project….inspires to me to put my head down and get to work on what I love….and look up every once awhile in the process.

Well, I am a Gemini so it depends on the hour as I get inspired by so much! I love when my friends all of a sudden have a book or a one person show they are promoting and I think DAMN! You’ve been busy …I am inspired! I had no clue what you were up too and wham! You’ve got a complete project….inspires to me to put my head down and get to work on what I love….and look up every once awhile in the process.

What do you love about Los Angeles?I would have to say that my first favorite thing is the smell of night blooming jasmine…OMG! It’s so intoxicating. It was the first smell I remember as I arrived from NYC back in 1997.

Next is the weather, then Hummingbirds and Jacaranda trees and finally Trader Joe’s! …and…you can hike Runyon Canyon and run into Bob Barker or Eric Idle…random celeb sitings are always fun.

What is your favorite saying or your personal motto?

Oh, there are so many. Here are two:

Even After All this timeThe Sun never says to the Earth,

“You owe me.”

LookWhat happensWith a love like that,It lights the whole sky.”

― Hafiz

The second is:

“The truth you believe in and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new.”

― Pema Chödrön, The Wisdom of No Escape: How to Love Yourself and Your World

What’s been a real high-point in your career or life?I am sort of still waiting for it! HA! I guess they are more moments…like when I was performing on stage at The Hollywood Bowl realizing I was sharing the stage with John Lithgow and Roger Daltrey and they both new my name! Or the time I was the only person in the room with Michelle Obama and she walked over and hugged me…or the time I met Paul McCartney…at his house…with a bunch of other equally OMG legends….and I was 20 feet away from him playing Let It Be on his own piano! WHAT!??? Seriously…take me out for coffee…it’s worth the story! Look, if I am in even a decent mood…which is usually….I can make a trip to Home Goods a high-point…it’s a matter of perspective. 🙂